Image capture systems may capture images in an analog format (e.g., 35 millimeter SLR cameras) or a digital format (e.g., digital still cameras, digital video cameras, and hybrid digital video cameras). Digital still cameras are operable to capture high-resolution still photographs. Digital video cameras are operable to capture video clips (or image frame sequences). Hybrid digital video cameras (or multimedia recorders) are operable to capture both high-resolution still images and video frame sequences. Each of the digital still cameras, digital video cameras, and hybrid digital video cameras typically includes a display screen. In a capture mode of operation, a user may view images of an object or a scene in the display screen before and during image capture. In a playback mode of operation, a user may review previously captured still images and video clips in the screen.
Still images that are captured by known hybrid digital video cameras may be cropped in one of two ways: on-line or off-line. Still images may be cropped on-line by focusing the hybrid digital video camera so that a particular object or scene is properly positioned and framed in a viewfinder or on the display screen. Still images may be cropped off-line by transferring the still image data to a special purpose image editing device or to a general purpose computer running an image editing software application program.